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For if it were not possible, why did it shine and does it shine, not being seen by them? Rather, the light always was and always shone and shines in the purified, and it shone in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it, and now it shines and the darkness does not overcome it, or rather does not touch it. But to say 'now,' that it has risen for the people sitting in darkness, means that it has just now been pleased to be revealed to those to whom it also manifests itself; for the others, being in darkness, do not overcome it. (435) For the invisible one was seen, through the body by the perceptible eyes of all who beheld him, both unbelievers and believers, but he was known and the light of his Godhead was revealed only to those who were faithful through works, who also said to him: "Behold, we, Lord, have left all things and have followed you"; and by saying 'all things' he included possessions and money and wills and the despising of even this temporary life and the loathing of it because of having tasted that other hypostatic and eternal life, for what is sweeter is in every way also preferable, which is God himself.

But I beseech you all, O fathers and brothers, to strive to partake of such a life which is the light of God, the Holy Spirit himself, who sanctifies those who partake of him and makes them gods by adoption. And of so many words which I have spoken to you, do not be forgetful, but first learn yourselves always to do what is good and so teach others to do this, so that the word of your teaching may be practical and well-received by those who hear. If not, I am innocent of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the things spoken to me and made known and commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ through his adorable and holy Spirit, concerning the high gifts and graces of his co-unoriginate (536) God and Father, which the same good and beneficent God of ours always and until now gives through faith to those who earnestly seek participation in them, to whom is due all glory, honor and worship, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

By the same. Thanksgiving to God for the gifts of which he has been deemed worthy. And an introduction as to how God always appears to the pure in heart, and in what

things and signs.

Discourse 35. (437) I give thanks and worship and fall down before you, O Lord of all and all-holy

King, because you had mercy on me who was unworthy and you honored and glorified me, as you yourself willed from above, since even before the world was made by you, having me whole in yourself, you honored me, glorifying me with your word and image. For not for any other reason than for me, the one in your image and likeness, did you bring all things out of nothing, having made me king of all things on earth to the glory of your mighty work and goodness. I thank you, that you fulfilled all my request and desire for good according to your promises to us your servants, and beyond what I hoped for and desired you gave rather to one unworthy of heaven and earth. For you said: "Whatever you ask in my name (438) believing, you will receive." I thank you, that when I longed to see one of your saints and believed that through him I would find mercy from you, you yourself not only have done this, O Good one, and your genuine servant, the blessed

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γάρ μή ἦν δυνατόν, τί καί ἔλαμψε καί λάμπει μή καθορώμενον ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν; Μᾶλλον δέ τό μέν φῶς ἀεί ἦν καί ἀεί ἔλαμπε καί λάμπει ἐν τοῖς κεκαθαρμένοις, καί ἐν τῷ σκότει ἔφαινε καί ἡ σκοτία αὐτό οὐ κατέλαβε, καί νῦν λάμπει καί ἡ σκοτία αὐτό οὐ καταλαμβάνει εἴτ᾿ οὖν οὐχ ἅπτεται αὐτοῦ. Τό δέ ῾νῦν᾿ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἀνέτειλε τῷ ἐν σκότει καθημένῳ λαῷ, τό ἄρτι εὐδοκῆσαι ἀποκαλυφθῆναί ἐστιν εἰς οὕς καί ἐμφανίζεται· οἱ γάρ ἄλλοι ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ὄντες οὐ καταλαμβάνουσιν αὐτό. (435) Ὁ γάρ ἀόρατος ὤφθη, τό μέν διά τοῦ σώματος τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς πᾶσι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτόν ἀπίστοις τε καί πιστοῖς, ἐγνώσθη δέ καί τό φῶς αὐτοῦ τῆς Θεότητος ἀπεκαλύφθη μόνοις ἐκείνοις τοῖς διά τῶν ἔργων πιστοῖς, οἵτινες καί ἔλεγον πρός αὐτόν· "Ἰδού ἡμεῖς, Κύριε, ἀφήκαμεν πάντα καί ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι"· τῷ δέ εἰπεῖν ῾πάντα᾿ συνέκλεισε τά τε κτήματα καί χρήματα καί θελήματα καί τό καταφρονῆσαι καί αὐτῆς τῆς προσκαίρου ζωῆς καί βδελύξασθαι ταύτην διά τό γεύσασθαι αὐτῆς ἐκείνης τῆς ἐνυποστάτου καί αἰωνίου ζωῆς, τό γάρ ἡδύτερόν ἐστι πάντως καί προτιμότερον, ὅπερ ἐστίν αὐτός ὁ Θεός.

Ἀλλά παρακαλῶ πάντας ὑμᾶς, ὦ πατέρες καί ἀδελφοί, σπουδάσαι μετασχεῖν τῆς τοιαύτης ζωῆς ἥτις τό φῶς ἐστι τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὐτό τό Πνεῦμα τό Ἅγιον, τό τούς μετέχοντας αὐτοῦ ἁγιάζον καί θεούς τῇ θέσει ἀπεργαζόμενον. Καί τῶν τοσούτων λόγων, ὧν λελάληκα πρός ὑμᾶς, μή ἐπιλάθησθε, ἀλλά πρῶτον μέν αὐτοί μάθετε πράσσειν ἀεί τό καλόν καί οὕτω διδάξατε ἄλλους τοῦτο ποιεῖν, ἵνα ὅ λόγος τῆς διδασκαλίας ὑμῶν ἔμπρακτος ὑπάρχῃ καί εὐπαράδεκτος τοῖς ἀκούουσιν. Εἰ δ᾿ οὖν, ἐγώ ἀθῷος ἐκ πάντων ὑμῶν εἰμι, οὐ γάρ ὑπεστειλάμην τοῦ μή ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν τά λαληθέντα μοι καί γνωρισθέντα καί προσταχθέντα ὑπό τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διά τοῦ προσκυνητοῦ καί ἁγίου αὐτοῦ Πνεύματος περί τῶν ὑψηλῶν δωρεῶν καί χαρισμάτων τοῦ συνανάρχου (536) Θεοῦ καί Πατρός αὐτοῦ, ὧν τοῖς ἐμπόνως ζητοῦσι τήν μέθεξιν διά πίστεως δίδωσιν ἀεί καί μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ὁ αὐτός ἀγαθός καί εὐεργέτης Θεός ἡμῶν, ᾧ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμή καί προσκύνησις νῦν καί ἀεί καί εἰς τούς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Εὐχαριστία πρός Θεόν ὑπέρ ὧν ἠξίωται δωρεῶν. Καί εἰσήγησις ὅπως τοῖς κεκαθαρμένοις τῇ καρδίᾳ Θεός ἀεί ἐπιφαίνεται, καί ἐν ποίοις τοῖς

πράγμασι καί γνωρίσμασι.

Λόγος ΛΕ΄. (437) Εὐχαριστῶ καί προσκυνῶ καί προσπίπτω σοι, Κύριε τοῦ παντός καί πανάγιε

Βασιλεῦ, ὅτι ἐλέησας ἀνάξιον ὄντα με καί ἐτίμησας καί ἐδάξασας, ὡς αὐτός ἠθέλησας ἄνωθεν, ἐπειδή καί πρό τοῦ τόν κόσμον γενέσθαι παρά σοῦ, ὅλον ἔχων με ἐν ἑαυτῷ, λόγῳ καί εἰκόνι με τῇ σῇ δοξάσας ἐτίμησας. Οὐδέ γάρ δι᾿ ἄλλο τι ἤ δι᾿ ἐμέ τόν κατ᾿ εἰκόνα σύν καί καθ᾿ ὁμοίωσιν πάντα ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων παρήγαγες, βασιλέα με τῶν ἐπιγείων πάντων πεποιηκώς εἰς δόξαν τῆς σῆς μεγαλουργίας καί ἀγαθότητος. Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὅτι πᾶσάν μου τήν αἴτησιν καί ἐπιθυμίαν εἰς ἀγαθόν ἐξεπλήρωσας κατά τάς πρός ἡμᾶς τούς δούλους σου ὑποσχέσεις, καί ὑπέρ ἅ ἤλπιζον καί ἐπεθύμουν ἐχαρίσω μᾶλλον τῷ ἀναξίῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καί τῆς γῆς. Εἶπας γάρ· "Πᾶν ὅ ἐάν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου (438) πιστεύοντες λήψεσθε". Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ὅτι ἕνα τῶν ἁγίων σου ἐπιποθήσαντά με ἰδεῖν καί δι᾿ αὐτοῦ πιστεύσαντα εὑρεῖν ἔλεος παρά σοι, αὐτός οὐ μόνον τοῦτο πεποίηκας, ἀγαθέ, καί δοῦλόν σου γνήσιον, τόν μακάριον